Cowboys and Aliens: In Defense Of Jordan Peele’s ‘Nope’
Jordan Peele, one of the most prolific writers/directors of our time, has a problem. After the major success of his films Get Out and Us, Peele showcased his masterful skill at expert storytelling, making thrillers feel relevant again. Fast-forward to his most recent star-studded trailer for Nope and I was hooked. Subtle references from The Good, Bad, and Ugly? Yes! Close Encounters of The Third Kind vibes? I’m there!
Yet as reviews of Nope began pouring in, fans reported being dreadfully disappointed. Nope did not deliver the Alien Superstar vibes everyone was hoping for. Many fans felt the movie was ambiguous and overstated. I feel the opposite. What makes Jordan Peele a pioneer filmmaker is his unique ability to subvert expectations by wrapping Black history and truth in cinematic storytelling. I argue Nope accomplished exactly what Peele set out to do by using cinematic devices to illustrate Black and brown people’s fight to be seen as The Other.
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The very opening of Nope sets the stage for the danger that happens when the Subject and the Other collide. We see Otis Jr. (Daniel Kaluuya) training horses at the family Haywood Ranch, which trains horses for production shoots. His father, Otis Sr. (Keith David) constantly emphasized the importance of their horses performing well to secure the ranch’s future in show business. Otis Jr. grunts in return leaning into his frustration of conforming and cow-tying (no pun intended) to meet the expectations of others.
This is a reality Black and brown people face daily. We make adjustments and modifications to our very existence and way of matriculating in the world to fit into expectations that are not truly authentic to us. Our larger dreams of grandeur are struck down by fallacy and pretense or in the case of poor Otis Sr., an alien nickel strike from above.
At the end of the opening credits, we see a motion picture featuring a black jockey riding a horse. Immediately, Peele unveils the candid history of Black cowboys and their significant contribution to Western culture. It’s no secret Black cowboys, ranch hands, and jockeys were instrumental in facilitating the successful Western expansion. Black cowboys and ranch hands created rodeoing, horse breaking, and open-range cattling. If there was a staple in Western lifestyle, Black and Indigenous people did it first. However, African-American contributions to the West were not widely celebrated in cinema.
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Even the history of the first-ever motion picture showing a Black jockey portrayed in Nope is contested. Critics argue that the first image of the Black jockey was too ambiguous to be classified as one race. Undoubtedly, the very first motion picture showcased a Black jockey, serving as concrete evidence of the immense success of Black cowboys during that era.
Placing this 2-minute motion picture at the end of Jean Jacket’s (an affectionate name for the giant alien) guzzle was a genius decision. Why? Jean Jacket is representative of what often happens when Black artists are thrown into the churn of the Hollywood machine. They become objectified as the Other, the danger of being viewed as a spectacle. After a few run-ins with Jean Jacket, Otis Jr. and his sister Emerald (Keke Palmer) realize protecting themselves and their land against this threat is most important. At first, their objective is to grab the money shot and sell the photo to officially prove the existence of alien life. But as Otis Jr. states, “You can’t get caught up trying to tame a predator. You have to make an agreement with one.” Therein lies the stage for the classic Cowboy vs. Alien standoff.
Peele’s use of the Cowboy and Alien trope addresses the predatory relationships between the entertainment industry and the perception of Black and brown people. For as long as I can remember, Black and brown folks had to be Europeanized to be successful in entertainment. And, yet, even with lighter skin, hair, and eyes, we cannot live! As often as Black and brown actors are “otherized”, they can still not exist under the sea, portray great dragon lords, or thrive in the Wizarding world.
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As we see Otis Jr., Emerald, and their crew strategize their last stand against Jean Jacket I was reminded of the same way Black creatives have to be as equally innovative in owning their creative works. Black and brown bodies are constantly fighting for equal representation, pay, and visibility in entertainment. Finally, now more than ever we are witnessing the rise of Black culture in our music, film, and TV.
While I understand the criticism of Nope, Peele used the Western genre to reveal the accomplishments and nuances of Black life. Black and brown people constantly confront and defy the odds set against us, taking the reins to ensure we’ll command our money shot. The Oprah shot. Ensuring our talent, likeness, and contributions are truthfully shown.
Categorized:Editorials
